Published at 17th of June 2024 9:02 pm

[LN] Volume 3: 6.4

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

Once Again, The First Step Part 4

Translator: PolterGlast

In her hazy consciousness, Irisdina woke up due to the weight pressing down on her entire body and the sensation of something warm hitting her cheek.

"U~, nn......"

She must have hit her head, and a sense of weariness enveloped her whole body. She groaned and opened her eyelids to see Nozomu's face in her blurred vision. He was bleeding from the head and his whole body was quivering.

The blade that was supposed to take Irisdina's life has pierced his left arm, grazing the side of her neck and pinning her to the ground. Nozomu, who had come to his senses, quickly had his own arm pierced to protect her, forcing the blade's trajectory to divert.

"No-, zomu......"

"U-Ugh......"

Irisdina reached for his cheek, which was right in front of her.

The fury and hatred were gone, and his eyes were no longer tinged with crimson.

He has returned. Joy sprung up in Irisdina's heart.

But Nozomu's face, on the other hand, was pale.

Assaulted by intense fear and guilt, his katana, which had pierced his own left arm, began to clatter and tremble erratically.

He nearly killed them. It was what he feared the most.

"I-I, almost...... k-kill everyone......."

He looked so pale like a corpse.

And Irisdina, in front of such seemingly broken Nozomu.......

"Nozomu!"

She sprung up and embraced him.

"Are you alright? Can you understand what I said!?"

"I-I, ris......?"

His blood was flowing out, making his body sticky and wet, but Irisdina didn't mind that and squeezed her arms tightly together. As if to hold Nozomu, who was on the verge of breaking, together.

"T-Thank goodness....... I-I thought you were going to disappear, and I thought you might not even be conscious anymore......"

The tears that flowed unceasingly from the girl's eyes soaked his shoulders.

She, who would always look so dignified, showed the appearance of a girl appropriate for her age.

Seeing Irisdina like this, Nozomu felt as if his heart was being poked violently.

"Nozomu-kun!"

"Shina......-san."

Nozomu, who had just accepted Irisdina, who was sobbing inside his chest, lifted his eyes towards the voice he heard, and this time, Shina was rushing towards him.

She got down on her knees in front of Nozomu and touched him all over his body to check his injuries.

"Are you okay!? You're conscious!, right?"

Shina's snow-like fingers were busily caressing Nozomu's body.

There he noticed blood on her face and all over her fingers. Irisdina's body was also stained bright red as she hugged him.

"Everyone...... gotten hurt......."

"No, we're not. This is your blood."

Shina held Nozomu's cheeks between her hands as she spoke while forcing him to turn towards her.

"You didn't hurt anyone. Even when Tiamat tricked you into seeing illusions, even when you were consumed by anger, you didn't cross the final line."

"Is everyone...... safe?"

She nodded slowly but clearly to Nozomu, who asked her in a dazed manner.

"Yeah. You properly protected us from Tiamat until the very end. The evidence is that everyone here is standing on their own two feet, you see?"

Shina's gaze turned to Mars and the others who were standing behind her.

Although their faces all showed a uniformly deep fatigue, everyone was still steady on their feet.

"Everyone is alive....... but-"

When he found out that everyone was safe, Nozomu's tense expression finally somewhat softened, but his smile quickly faded.

Certainly, the worst did not happen, but the fact that he pointed his blade at them did not change.

There was no way he could end it with a single word, "thank goodness......".

The fear and guilt that welled up in him. The negative emotions that suggested he didn't belong to be with them were rising up, and his body trembled as he turned his gaze away.

Shina then turned Nozomu's face towards her again.

"You may have used your anger to turn your blade against us, but even so, you were resisting, albeit subconsciously. So, please. Don't blame yourself so much......"

Following Shina's words, Irisdina also nodded her head with tears in her eyes.

"Nozomu! Are you alright!?"

"Nozomu-sa~n! Ane-sama~! Are you hurt!?"

Mars and others who were standing behind them rushed to Nozomu and the others.

"Norn~! Hurry up and heal him~!"

"I know, I know. Just stop pulling so forcefully! Nozomu-kun, let me heal you now......"

"~......"

"Ah......"

Norn reached for Nozomu's wound, but he reflexively withdrew his hand.

A heavy silence prevailed between them.

While clenching his teeth as if enduring, Nozomu gently placed his right hand on Irisdina's shoulder and tried to gently separate her from the embrace.

It was like handling a treasure that he himself was not allowed to touch.

However, Irisdina did not let go of Nozomu's clothes.

On the contrary, she stared at him sharply with tear-filled eyes.

Nozomu tried several times to pull away, but each time he did, her eyes grew more and more serious.

Still, he persisted in his attempts to separate from Irisdina. Without being able to face her gaze head-on.

"Hey, Nozomu. We're-......."

Mars couldn't bear the sight and tried to call out to him.

However, at that moment, a pure white light enveloped the entire area.

*Giiiiii!*

With a screeching sound that made the air tremble, the [Cracked Crown], which had regained consciousness, raised its sickle-like arms.

Its former shiny carapace was now covered in countless cracks, and toxic bodily fluids were pouring out from all over its body.

[Cracked Crown] cloaked its wounded body with lightning and concentrated it into its distinctive crown. A shower of lightning began to rain down towards Nozomu and the others.

"Oh no......!"

At this rate, Irisdina and the others, who are by his side, will be caught in the middle of this.

He lashed his immobile body, forcing it to shift, and tried to expose himself to the oncoming roaring lightning, so as to protect them.

But faster than Nozomu could move, they leaped in front of the rain of purple lightning.

"Shina-kun!"

"I know. Raz!"

[Yes, leave it to me!]

Countless thunderbolts collided with Razward's spirit magic, flooding the surroundings with a nose-tingling metallic odor.

"Guuuu......!"

The magical lightning, which exceeded even the power of the higher beings called spirits, instantly shaved away Razward's barrier.

The power that was exerted with its body full of wounds. It was truly an out-of-this-world demonic beast.

In an attempt to reduce the momentum of the lightning, Irisdina released [Intermediate Magic?Javelin of the Abyss].

The jet-black spear slipped through the net of lightning, and went straight for the crown of the giant centipede, which glowed pale, but got bounced off by the lightning that the [Cracked Crown] was clad in.

"No good. huh!"

*Gigigi......!*

With a threat similar to a screeching sound, the pressure of the Thunder Rain increased even more.

[Ugh, damn......!]

Razward, who was holding up the barrier, let out a cry of anguish.

Then, with a sound like shattering glass, the barrier was finally breached. But immediately afterward, a warm four-colored light enveloped Nozomu and the others with the shape of a box. The four-colored magic barriers repelled the lightning that had broken through.

"Are you okay?"

"Tima-san......."

[Thank you, you saved me there.]

It was Tima who deployed the four-colored magic barrier.

Furthermore, two shadows leaped out from her side and circled to the side of the [Cracked Crown].

"Fuu!"

"Touryaah!"

*Giiiuu!*

Mars' greatsword and Mimuru's dropkick exploded into the [Cracked Crown]'s side of the head. Its neck shook greatly at the combined blow, and the Thunder Rain that had been shot at Nozomu and the others was interrupted.

The giant centipede's anger shifted to the two interrupters who were in its way, and a rain of purple lightning was unleashed on Mars and Mimuru.

"Hiiii! Stop-stop, don't shoot me~~! Whole roasted cat doesn't taste good~~!"

"You idiot, move your feet instead of shouting!"

The two kept running frantically to avoid the oncoming rain of purple lightning, but there was just too much lightning.

In the blink of an eye, the rain of lightning blocked their escape route and turned into a cage trying to crush the insects it had caught.

"We won't let you!"

"Hai~hai~, you two, retreat now~!"

However, then Anri and Tom's golem intervened. The swinging whip punctured the lightning cage, and Mars as well as Mimuru retreated while the golem was being struck by numerous thunderbolts.

If one were to look closely, one would see that talismans imbued with magic power were attached all over the golem's body, and a thin magic barrier protected the golem's body from the roaring lightning.

"Good grief, it can't be helped. Come on, you two, get out of there!"

"Sorry, thanks!"

"Uwaaaan, thank you, Tom~~!"

"Wha, don't, not now! Get away from me!"

The Golem was destroyed by the Thunder Rain at the moment they escaped, and Mimuru, who had escaped from the lightning cage, raised an emotional cry and charged at Tom.

"It's not over yet, more are coming!"

[Cracked Crown]'s offensive was not over yet. The follow-up thunderbolts were immediately fired at them.

"Uooo~~! Whoa, this is bad!"

"Uu~~n. Sensei thinks this is a tough one, too~~"

"Leave it to me!"

While Feo was in a cold sweat, Tom invoked his [Earth Manipulation] magic. From the ground between them and the [Cracked Crown], numerous dull green-rust pillars sprang up one after another.

What rose up were countless iron stakes. To be precise, they were made of hardened clay pillars coated with iron.

The iron pillars, which had become lightning rods, were destroyed, but they managed to direct the onrushing thunderbolts to the ground.

"A~a, the pillars are not strong enough to withstand it after all. Nevertheless, it is effective!"

"Kyaaa! Tom, you're so amazing~~! Come on fox, do your job properly!"

"The heck! Why are you treating me like this!?"

Even so, the attack of the demonic beast did not stop. If it failed once, it would strike again, and again, and again, like thunderstorms.

In the face of the oncoming thunderstorm, not only Tom, but also Feo, used their magic spells to prevent, disperse, and deflect the thunder rain.

"I'll push and deflect the lightning toward Nozomu as much as I can!"

"Let's go, Raz, lend me your strength!"

[Haiyo, you can count on me!]

Irisdina and Shina also lined up with Feo and the others, using their weapons to intercept the oncoming thunderstorms.

The mithril rapier, imbued with magic power, slashed through the lightning swarms, and arrows imbued with the power of spirits spiraled through the purple lightning hordes.

"I won't let my students get hurt~~"

Even Anri was not to be outdone. She swung the whip in her right hand in all directions, slashing and tearing, and further dissipating the lightning that had been scattered by the piercing arrows.

However, despite this, the [Cracked Crown]'s power, which could not be defeated even by the allied forces of various countries in the great invasion, was way superior to that of the Solminati Academy's renowned talented students, including even the teachers.

The lightning storms, which had increased in frequency and density, now attacked like a wall, instantly shattering the iron pillars that Tom and Feo had created as lightning rods. In the blink of an eye, they, who were desperately resisting, were swept away.

"Guu! This [Cracked Crown]'s power is way out of our league......!"

Irisdina let out a cry of anguish as she slashed away the lightning that was coming toward Nozomu.

The power of the opponent was just too powerful. Its power would easily surpass that of even Rugato, the vampire she had previously faced. In fact, even just the remnants of the thunderbolt managed to burn her arm and caused her so much pain that she almost dropped her rapier.

"Everyone, forget about me and get out of here! Once you get inside the forest, you should be able to escape all the way to the town!"

Unable to bear the sight of Irisdina and the others who keep getting hurt because of him, Nozomu yelled at them to run away.

Of course, there was no way for the current Nozomu to win if he were to fight against the [Cracked Crown].

He suffered lacerations all over his body and lost a lot of blood. His body was already too weak to even stand up. If he were to fight in his current state, he would be killed in an instant, unable to avoid the thunderstorm that [Cracked Crown] would unleash.

"Good grief, what a monstrous demonic beast!"

"Are we going to give up then!?"

"Are you kidding me!? If I choose to abandon him here, I will never forgive myself for the rest of my life!"

However, Irisdina and the others ignored Nozomu's desperate cry. Rather, they wielded their weapons with even greater enthusiasm.

"Oi, Tima, can't you manage to land a blow with your magic!?"

"Sorry, Mars-kun, I got my hands full trying to block all this lightning, so I can't afford to cast any other spells......"

"We have no choice but to endure, then! It would be nice if it'd just go home satisfied after this rampage!"

While exposing themselves to the potentially lethal lightning, they voluntarily step forward, muster up their Qi, and let their magic rage on.

He saved my precious sister.

I admired his swordsmanship.

Even though I had said a lot of terrible things to him, he never abandoned me and helped me, giving me a chance to get over my trauma.

He gave me a chance to reconnect with my best friend.

I simply was curious about him, and when I came to know him, I became even more curious about him.

I didn't want to part ways with my first friend like this.

I wanted to help him in any way I could.

I wished to be there for him.

The feelings that rose up in their hearts were complex and intertwined like frayed threads.

However, they all had this one thought in common:

[I want to protect him who is suffering now, and I walk together with him once again.]

That's why, no matter how much pain they feel, there's no way they'd give up here.

"Why!? Why won't you guys run away!?"

Their desperate struggle stirred Nozomu's heart.

He clenched his teeth as his heart was stirred up by the people he cared about who did not want to run away. His left hand, numb from the loss of blood, was clenched tightly, and his bones creaked.

The only thing that welled up within him was a sense of self-pity, frustration, and disappointment.

And then...... joy. But such joys further stimulated Nozomu's sense of guilt.

"You should have just abandoned me and run away......."

It made him happy, it made him joyful. And because there was nothing he could do about it, those positive emotions became sharp arrowheads that pierced through Nozomu's heart.

While his face was distorted in pain due to the positive and negative emotions that were violently swirling around like a spiral, Somia came running up to him.

"Somia-chan. Even if it's just you-......."

"Norn-sensei, what can I do to help!?"

At least let her escape....... Nozomu tried to persuade Somia to run away, but his weak voice was drowned out by her loud voice.

"Please hold him so he doesn't move. If he moves too much, I won't be able to concentrate on the treatment."

"Yes!"

While giving a clear reply to Norn's calm instruction, she held Nozomu's left arm, which was particularly badly injured, with both of her small hands. Somia's young hand was stained with Nozomu's blood as Norn used healing magic to stop the bleeding coming from the affected area and bandaged it up.

"Nozomu-san. Please stay still for now."

"Somia-chan, why......"

"Even though I've learned a whole bunch of magic, I'm not at all as good at it as my sister. And I can't even fight. It's frustrating and makes me sad, but standing next to everyone will only slow them down. Then I must do what the current me can do......"

After saying so, Somia began to invoke a spell in a whispering voice. Then, Somia's hands, which had been holding his wounds, began to glow faintly.

It was a light of magic power that indicated the activation of healing magic. Somia's magic, which was layered on top of Norn's magic, relieved Nozomu of his pain.

The deafening screech of the demonic beast and the explosion of magics echoed around them, but she was undaunted, desperately trying to do what she could do.

Is it perhaps because they are sisters, after all? Her appearance was a mirror image of Irisdina, who was struggling right in front of him.

Nozomu's heart was stirred even more by her earnestness as she kept looking straight ahead, not turning her head down even when times were tough.

A hot drop of tears streamed down from his eyes, dripping wetly on the ground.

"Kuu!"

"Irisdina-san! Are you alright!?"

"Yeah! I won't be defeated so easily!"

Irisdina was about to let out a scream when she was hit by the remnants of the thunderbolt that she couldn't handle, but she gritted her teeth and endured it.

"Zuah!"

"Mars-kun!?"

"Come on, you gotta pull yourself together! There's still more to come!"

"I know! There's no way I would make a fool of myself here!"

Mimuru assisted Mars, who was being repelled by the giant sickle-like arm. Next to him, Anri and Feo were doing the same and kept dispelling the Thunder Rain.

"Feo-ku~n? Are you okay~?"

"I myself am fine! But my wallet is getting worse...... Anri-sensei, please! Take over for me!"

"Sorry~~. I can't help you with that at the moment~~. My salary is pretty low, so you'll have to do something about it yourself~~."

"What are you saying, Sensei? Sensei's salary is even higher than that of a common knight! I'm even cutting back on my living expenses to pay for the talismans! Shina, Mars! Please, cover for me! If I spend any more money, I'll have to live on nothing but water for the rest of the month!"

"Oi, Elf and Little Bird over there! Are you both doing good!?"

"We're fine for now. At least we still have plenty of room to help one more person!"

[Oi, you there! I'm not a little bird! Shi-jou, please say something to him!]

"C'mon, Raz, focus! You're getting pushed, you know!?"

"Wha!? Ignore? Are you guys ignoring me!? I'm going to starve to death, you know!? Are you guys okay with that!? In the first place, I kept overusing magic power to activate the talismans, so I'm almost at my limit!"

Feo was complaining about how he was being treated, but the situation was starting to get even worse.

The movements of Irisdina and the others were gradually becoming sluggish. They, too, had long since reached their limits.

Even so, there was not the slightest intention in their eyes to run away.

"I, I......"

He felt a warmth deep within his chest. Such feelings were inspired by their determination.

Whatever the reason, Irisdina and the others were risking their lives to protect him, the one who had pointed his blade at them.

Their faces were stained with dirt and sweat, and their clothes were in tatters from the constant exposure to the lingering damage of the Thunder Rain. Their bodies were also battered and bruised, but they still managed to stay on their feet.

It was not out of a sense of duty or obligation. It was a desperate and single-minded act of caring for someone from the bottom of their heart.

Even though his heart ached as if it were tightened with cotton, the earnest efforts of Irisdina and the others continuously generated a burning heat deep in Nozomu's chest.

His body and mind, pulled by strong positive and negative emotions, had become rigid. Their equilibrium began to collapse.

The heat that continued to build up lit a flame in Nozomu's heart, burning and melting the chains that bound his mind.

The sight of his friends who were so earnest to this extent had spoken to Nozomu more eloquently than a thousand words.

No matter what you say, you are already our friend.......

That was all he needed.

"~! Norn-sensei. Can you make my body move at full power, even if it's just for a moment?"

Norn's expression froze in surprise upon hearing Nozomu's sudden words. Nozomu's body now has wounds that would normally require him to be bedridden immediately and rested.

Especially the katana that pierced his left arm was still stuck in it, and if it was pulled out carelessly, it might damage an artery and cause massive blood loss.

If he were to lose a large amount of blood all at once, he would go into shock and die as it is.

It would be impossible for him to fight any longer, and Norn, who was in charge of keeping him alive, would never allow him to do so.

"You... do you even know your own condition!? You have lacerations and muscle injuries all over your body. The amount of blood you lost due to the katana that pierced your left arm cannot be ignored! Most of all, if you were to unleash your power right now, Tiamat would surely try to take advantage of it again!"

If Nozomu were to release his ability suppression again, Tiamat would once again try to take him over.

If Tiamat's aim is to resurrect herself and to achieve this she needs to break Nozomu, then this is the perfect situation for her.

"Are you going to waste Irisdina's and the others' efforts!?"

"No, it's precisely because I don't want it to go to waste, so I have to do it now!"

Nozomu shook his head at the admonishing rebuke.

Irisdina and the others who were protecting him despite the fact that he almost killed them.

Determined to answer their feelings, Nozomu put his hand on the katana that pierced his left arm and pulled it out.

"Kuh...... uuugh!"

The katana was pulled out with a loud "swish " sound, and fresh blood flowed out and spread over the ground in a crimson color.

Norn and Somia hurriedly held the wound and applied healing magic.

"I am someone who has been running away all this time. And I still am. Even though everyone was willing to reach out to me, I lost myself in anger, and I was so afraid of myself that I turned away from them because I couldn't believe them......"

While looking at the wound, which was gradually being closed by magic, Nozomu once again reflected on himself.

Trying to handle the situation on his own, he lost himself in anger.

In the end, he even turned his own blade against them.

Even though he was such a shitty person, they still called out to him.

Because of that, Nozomu was able to come back here.

Until now, he had turned away from his surroundings, and even though he realized that he was running away, he was unable to move forward even after he tried to move his feet.

But.......

"But I want that to end it now. I just want to stand next to everyone again......"

"Nozomu-san......"

Somia's eyes were drawn to Nozomu's strong-willed expression, and Norn silently met his gaze.

At that moment, the voice of someone who was not supposed to be there could be heard from the side.

"Yo, I'm here to return the favor."

He reflexively turned his head in the direction of the voice. Nozomu's eyes widened involuntarily upon seeing the unexpected people there.

◆

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